


Five senses

by stjarna



Series: Rural Scotland AU [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 1950s AU, F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Rural Scotland
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 08:25:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15115583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stjarna/pseuds/stjarna
Summary: Fitzsimmons AU one-shot. Takes place sometime in the 1950s.





	Five senses

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when you discuss [this picture](http://www.iaindecaestecker.org/albums/userpics/10001/Session_06_002.jpg) at length with @dilkirani and @lilsciencequeen, and what this sweater would feel like, and what a hug from Iain would feel like, and what he might smell like… and combine it with watching too much Call the Midwife and being unable to stop imagining Jemma talking like Trixie.

Jemma let her eyes wander over the horizon before closing them, inhaling the distinct scent of the ocean, listening for the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, feeling strands of hair that had escaped her updo tickling her face. She wet her lips, and whether it was true or her imagination, she could taste the salt of the sea.

She opened her eyes again, exhaling slowly as a soft smile tugged on the corners of her mouth.

“Isn’t it strange—?” she remarked, quietly, overcome by melancholy mixed with longing and philosophical thoughtfulness. “We spend half our lives planning our future, naive enough to think that we know exactly how to stay precisely on target, and yet, life so often seems to have other plans for us, doesn’t it?”

She briefly glanced at where Fitz was standing next to her, his hands tucked into his pockets. He turned his head slightly, just enough to meet her eyes, one corner of his mouth twitching briefly while his blue irises looked at her with their usual kindness.

He scoffed barely audibly, before letting out a low hum in agreement.

Jemma looked back at the rocking waves, grabbing the openings of her coat and wrapping her arms around herself to bring the fabric tighter against her body as a swift breeze blew up from the ocean.

“I never thought I’d end up in rural Scotland,” she admitted, wide-eyed and shrugging slightly. “Always saw myself in London one day or somewhere else grand and exciting.” A quiet chuckle escaped her. “But here I am.”

She felt her eyes well up, while at the same time her lips pulled into a smile. “And it really is rather beautiful, I must say.”

She sighed deeply before turning her attention to Fitz, who looked back at her in silence.

“I mean, I will always be partial to Yorkshire,” she teased, “but I have to admit that Scotland— Well, it’s—”

Her gaze wandered back to the ocean, her nose once again picking up the scent of the water, her ears noticing the seagulls’ call. She turned her head further, looking at the lush green grass, just a bit damp from the rainfalls of the previous days.

She couldn’t help but smile, her heart overcome with happiness.

Jemma brought her attention back to Fitz, who still stood with his hands in his pockets, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The wind that was softly playing with his curls didn’t seem to bother him otherwise, his knitted jumper keeping him plenty warm, protecting him from the elements.

“It’s something,” he muttered barely above a whisper, without taking his eyes off the ocean.

Jemma chuckled quietly, amused by his understatement.

“It really is,” she concurred. “And you have some awfully friendly people around here.”

He glanced at her, scoffing in amusement. “Oh yeah? You have to introduce me to them sometime.”

Jemma laughed out loud, playfully slapping Fitz’s chest, and like a chain reaction, he let out a quiet laugh himself.

“Thank you, Fitz,” Jemma said, turning to face him and lacing her tone with gratitude, “for bringing me here today. I quite needed that—a reminder”

“You looked sad this morning,” Fitz replied, shaking his head. “Didn’t care for that.”

He shrugged slightly, his hands still buried in his pockets, giving him a rather charming sheepish expression. “So I thought since it was your day off at the clinic and the weather was nice—”

Jemma couldn’t help but let another wave of joyous laughter bubble to the surface, which seemed to lighten Fitz’s expression as well.

“Much better,” he mumbled, a boyish smile playing on his lips.

Jemma pressed her lips together, noticing her cheeks flushing as her stomach tightened at the way he looked at her.

“Would it be terribly daft,” she asked, her throat dry and tight, “to offer a friendly embrace? A ‘thank you’?”

Something in his expression changed, surprise flashing across his face before his usual kindness shone back at her in his smile.

He shrugged, a mischievous sparkle glistening in his eyes. “Well, some might consider that quite scandalous, but—” He turned his head side to side, before pursing his lips, pulling his shoulders even higher. “—there’s nobody here, so I’ll accept it.”

Jemma chuckled, fanning out her arms, waiting for Fitz to do the same before she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his pull her closer.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply, noticing how the smell of the ocean was drowned out by Fitz’s scent, how the sharp coldness of the wind was replaced by the soft warmth of his jumper and his body heat, how the seagull’s calls became quieter as her ears picked up Fitz’s heartbeat instead.

She felt every fiber in her body fill with contentedness, her restless soul settling down, and when she opened her eyes, pushing herself back far enough to look at him only to find his blue irises gazing back at her with an intensity that made her stomach churn, Jemma wondered if this was what home felt like, looked like, smelled like, sounded like.

She swallowed hard, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the soft curls at the nape of Fitz’s neck.

“Would it be terribly scandalous and daft of me to ask permission to kiss you?” Jemma asked, her voice barely more than a soft breath.

She noticed a mist to his eyes, while at the same time one corner of his mouth ticked into a shy half-smile.

“I like when you’re daft,” he whispered, holding her gaze before leaning closer to kiss her softly.

Jemma savored the feel of their lips slowly moving against each other, how she could taste the saltiness of the sea, hear his contented hum, smell his cologne mixed with engine grease.

And when she opened her eyes, seeing Fitz smile back at her, she knew for sure that her senses hadn’t tricked her.

This was home.

**Author's Note:**

> This scene just very randomly popped into my head. Who knew it would start an entire universe :)
> 
> Thanks for reading :)


End file.
